Barkov lifts Panthers past Stars in hometown at Global Series Finland

TAMPERE, Finland -- The script couldn’t have been more fitting for the game that took place at Nokia Arena on Friday.

There were seven Finland-born players in the game, and almost every one had an impact in a 6-4 win for the Florida Panthers against the Dallas Stars in the 2024 NHL Global Series Finland presented by Fastenal.

Though each of those players had a moment, Aleksander Barkov stole the spotlight with four points (one goal, three assists) in a homecoming for him. The Florida center, who last season became the first Finland-born captain to win the Stanley Cup, grew up in the shadow of this building.

He became the second Finnish player in the 10 regular-season games played in the country to score more than three points and was named the player of the game.

“This game obviously is an NHL regular-season game, but for me it’s not just a regular-season game,” said Barkov, who went to school less than a mile from the arena and played professionally for Tappara, which calls Nokia Arena home. “For me to be able to come home to Finland and play here, especially in my hometown, bring my teammates here, drag my teammates here and then play and then, obviously, scoring the goal was an amazing, amazing feeling. So, I’m really happy.”

Everyone was happy. The game was a celebration of Finnish hockey from start to finish.

Of the 10 goals scored, the Finns factored into eight. Barkov and Anton Lundell scored for Florida, and Niko Mikkola had an assist. Esa Lindell had a goal and an assist for Dallas.

“I’m going to remember that forever for sure,” Lindell said of his tap-in of a fantastic no-look pass from Jason Robertson that cut the Panthers lead to 3-2 at 1:32 of the second period. “There was a lot of emotion even before the game with the national anthem and all that. It was the cherry on top of the cake to get that goal. It was a pretty good pass by ‘Robo.’”

Sam Reinhart had two goals and an assist, Aaron Ekblad had three assists, and Evan Rodrigues had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (8-3-1), who have won four straight games. Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves.

Mavrik Bourque scored his first NHL goal, and Matt Duchene and Ilya Lyubushkin each had two assists for the Stars (7-3-0), who had won two in a row. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves.

The sellout crowd roared for the Finnish players from the start of the introductions to the final horn in the first of two games here. The teams finish the back-to-back on Saturday (noon ET; Victory+, SCRIPPS, NHLN, SN1).

“They got to see seven incredible Finnish players play,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “I think they are incredibly proud as they should be of their heritage.

“I think it was a good game to watch, 10 goals. Neither coach is happy about that. There was probably another 10 that didn’t get finished. The Dallas Stars are incredibly skilled. I think they are the most skilled team in the League.”

Each of the Finns was in the starting lineup. Barkov, Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen were at forward for the Panthers with Mikkola at defenseman. For the Stars, it was Roope Hintz, from the Tampere suburb of Nokia, up front, with Lindell and Miro Heiskanen on the blue line. Jere Lehtinen and Teppo Numminen, two icons of Finnish hockey who played for the Stars, shared the ceremonial puck-drop duties.

It was magical moment.

“I think it is a given in a situation like this,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said of starting his Finnish players together. “I knew we were going to do that and I’m not surprised [Florida] did that. That’s what this trip is about and that’s who these people are here to see, frankly. It’s the right thing to do.”

Once the game started, though, all eyes were on Barkov.

He assisted on the goal by Rodrigues that gave Florida a 1-0 lead 28 seconds into the game, a record for the fastest goal scored in a regular-season game outside of North America. At 7:11 of the first period, he lasered home a long-range wrist shot past Oettinger’s glove to make it 2-0.

The snowy roof almost blew off.

Barkov also assisted on Reinhart’s goals.

“That’s why he is a star in this league,” Maurice said.

Tyler Seguin cut it to 2-1 at 10:45 when his one-timer from below the goal line went in off Bobrovsky’s left skate.

Lundell made it 3-1 at 15:52 by deflecting a shot by Ekblad for a power-play goal.

“It was awesome. I wish I would’ve [celebrated] a little more, but it was awesome,” he said. “It was a very special game for me and probably for everybody, but especially for us Finns. I would lie if I would say I wasn’t nervous before the game, so just to be able to get the game going and forget about the other things was awesome. And to be able to get the win as well, it was a very cool day for our team and our Finns.”

After Lindell pulled the Stars within 3-2, Reinhart’s short-handed goal on the rush made it 4-2 at 6:07.

Mackie Samoskevich then extended the lead to 5-2 at 2:31 of the third period with a one-timer from the top of the right face-off circle before Reinhart scored from the doorstep for his second of the game, making it 6-2 at 10:08.

Bourque brought the Stars within 6-3 at 15:38, and Jamie Benn scored with a one-timer in the slot at 19:26 for the 6-4 final.

“I can’t imagine being in their shoes and being in a scenario where I’m overseas and I’m coming back home and playing in front of my hometown,” Rodrigues said of his Finnish teammates. “So, big night for the team, big night for them and hopefully we get another one tomorrow.”

NOTES: The previous record for the fastest goal scored outside of North America was held by Tomas Holmstrom of the Detroit Red Wings, who scored at 31 seconds against the St. Louis Blues in the 2009 Premiere Series in Stockholm. … Finland-born Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche had four points (three goals, one assist) here against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 Global Series. … Reinhart has seven points (five goals, two assists) in the three NHL games he has played in Europe and tied Patrik Laine for the goals lead in games played outside of North America. … Bourque, who was playing his seventh career game, became the sixth player to score his first NHL goal while playing a game in Europe.